By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team got off to a cold start at the Capital City Invitational this weekend by droppings both of its contests on the opening day of the tournament to host Jackson State on a walk-off loss by a score of 6-5 before seeing its rally come up just short against Mississippi Valley State in the second contests at 4-3.
The Skyhawks (5-5) scored first in both contests but could not maintain their advantage through the game. In the opener against host Jackson State, the lead changed hands four times before the Lady Tigers rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to scratch out the walk-off winner. Then against the Devilettes, the Skyhawks fell victim to a four-run fourth inning and could never dig themselves out of their hole.
Katie Dreiling paced the Skyhawks offensively with four hits on the afternoon while driving in a pair of runs. Paige Clark also had a nice day with three hits in the box while swiping three bags. Meanwhile four other players tallied a pair of hits with the quartet of Kaci Fuller, Kallie Pickens, Anna Hazlewood and Kaitlyn Kelley combining for two RBIs.
In the pitching circle, the Skyhawks racked up 18 total strikeouts on the day but allowed six earned runs to cross the plate. Junior Alexis Groet (2-2) picked up her second loss of the season after a grueling matchup against Jackson State where she struck out 10 while walking four in 6.1 innings of work. Graduate Seeley Layne (2-1) earned her first loss of the season after striking out seven and issuing zero walks but giving up seven hits in 5.1 innings. Dreiling appeared in relief, striking out one of two batters faced.
The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team erased a rough day on the opening day of the Capital City Invitational and came out with a mission on Saturday afternoon in tough playing conditions to pick up a sweep of host Jackson State (9-1) and Southern (8-3).
The Skyhawks (7-5) showed off their offensive ability despite the wind chill sitting in the low-30s and the first matchup of the day featuring a weather delay while a fine mist fell for much of the day. UT Martin boasted a .382 batting average with six different players tallying multiple base knocks and combining for eight extra base hits.
The outfield pair of sophomore Kaci Fuller and graduate Paige Clark each tallied four hits on the afternoon. Fuller recorded three singles along with a solo home run and three RBIs on the afternoon. Clark tallied a double and two triples while swiping one stolen base. Anna Hazlewood also wrapped up a nice weekend with a home run and two RBIs while Katie Dreiling also smacked a two-run homer.
The pitching staff was also strong for the Skyhawks as the duo posted a 1.75 ERA and allowed an opponent batting average of .196 in 12 innings. Erin Gallagher picked up her second win of the season against Jackson State after allowing one earned runs in five innings while striking out three. Sophomore Emily Brown garnered her first win of the campaign after posting one of her best performances, allowing two earned runs while striking out four in seven innings of action.
Game 11: UT Martin 9, Jackson State 1 (Five innings)
Jackson State took an early lead in the first inning of Game 1. Back-to-back singles by Huckabee and Arredondo set up a nice scoring opportunity which Gusman made the most of by rattling of the team’s third straight single – this time up the middle – to drive in the game’s first run.
UT Martin fought right back in the top of the second to tie and take the lead. A leadoff single by Hazlewood was followed up by a pair of outfield flies before three consecutive walks as the rain started to fall to Avry Blume, Maddi Long and Anna Blanton tied the game. As the Lady Tigers made a pitching change after the third straight walk, the game then came to a sudden halt with a 30+ minute weather delay. Once both teams returned to action, the Skyhawks took the lead on a passed ball which got away and allowed Blume to score on the play.
The score remained at a one-run margin until the top of the fourth inning when the Skyhawks exploded for five runs on six hits. The innings began with three straight singles by Fuller, Blume and Long before the first out was recorded. After Blume’s single scratched across a run, Clark cleared the bases with the first of two triples on the day into the right center gap to make it a 5-1 score. The speedster later came around to score on a single through the left side on a single by Hazlewood before a double into the left field corner by Kallie Pickens gave UT Martin a 7-1 advantage after the fourth.
Looking to end the game early following a RBI groundout by Dreiling in the top of the fifth, Kaitlyn Kelley laced a double to right center to give the Skyhawks an eight-run margin and enact the mercy rule with a final score of 9-1.
Game 12: UT Martin 8, Southern 3
Much like in the first game of the day, it was the other team which scored first in the contest. A single by Adkins and an ensuing stolen base moved her into scoring position. Later in the inning, Adkins came around to score on a RBI single up the middle by Sandoval to put Southern up 1-0 in the first.
UT Martin answered immediately in the top of the second inning as Hazlewood led off the inning with a solo home run to left center – her second of the season – to tie the game.
Southern would not go quietly however as a fielding error, a stolen base and passed ball spelled trouble for the Skyhawks. With a runner sitting on third base, Mark singled through the right side and gave the Jaguars a 2-1 advantage.
The lead would be short-lived once again though as the Skyhawks came back in the following half inning and scored four runs. Clark opened the inning with her second triple of the day – this time into the left center gap – before coming home to score on the following at bat on a two-run home run to center off the bat of Dreiling. The Skyhawks then saw Kelley single up the middle before Hazlewood and Pickens drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. With a prime scoring opportunity in hand, Fuller lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home a run before a pinch-hit RBI-single by Emily Gilstrap later in the frame gave UT Martin a 5-2 lead.
The Skyhawks added two more runs in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly RBI by Pickens and a RBI single by Fuller to stretch the game’s margin out to five runs. Southern ultimately added one more run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch to end its scoring output in the contest before Fuller put a bow on UT Martin’s offensive day with a solo homer to right field in the sixth to cap an 8-3 win.
UT Martin will make its highly anticipated home debut on Tuesday, March 1 when playing host to Bellarmine for a doubleheader at Bettye Giles Field beginning at 1 p.m.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information